Foot and leg exercising device



July 29, 1941. G. M. MlLNE FOOT AND LEG EXERCISING DEVICE Filed June 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 attomegs FOOT AND LEG EXERCISING DEVICE Filed June 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZSnventr Gebge (Ittomegs Patented July 29, 1941 YUNiT'ED i oFF c v 1 '1 2,250,493,; i 'Foo'r Ann. L te EXERois'ING 'D'EVIQE George-M. Milne, Detroit, Mich: V .Al plicationiJune 0, 1940,;Serial 329,703

' Claims; (01. 272-57) 1 Thisinvention relates; in general, to exercising devices and,-in particular, to a new and improved device for exercising the muscles of a human foot and leg. v i I One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved exercising; device by the use of which the muscular structure of a human foot and leg may be more easily and effectively exercised than by use of devices of a simi larnature at present well known.

Another object is to provide a new and improved exercising device by the use of which the muscular structure of a human footand leg may be exercised more thoroughly and with less possibility of inflicting injury thereto than by use of devices of a similar nature at present well known. v

Another object is to provide a new and improved; exercising device which is readily and easily made adaptable for any human foot of reasonable size and shape. I

Another object is to provide anew and-im: proved exercising device the construction of which is simple, compact and inexpensive, andwhich device consists of a minimum number1 .ofparts so'as to facilitate correct manipulation thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from a reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich there are two (2) sheets and in which-: g Figure l is a plan view of the exercising-device; Fig. 2 is a side view of the showing in;Fig, 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken along the line 3--3 and i-, respectively, in Fig.1}; I

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the device showing one of its applications with respect to a'human foot; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational View similar to, Fig. 5

but showing a difierent application of the device.

The exercising device which is shown in the figures comprises a main frame consisting of a front section and a rear section, generally indi-' cated at I9 and I2, respectively, said front section being formed by a pair of spaced, parallel side walls 14 integrally joined together at one end of each thereof by means of an endv wall I6, and said rear section beingformed by a pair of spaced, parallel sidewalls l8 integrally joined together at one end of each thereof by means of an endlwall 28. Each of thesi de walls [8 is formed with an elongated slot 22, and through each of said slots there projects a'thuinb screw which is threadedly engaged, in a threaded opening provided therefore in that side wall M which is thereadjacent, whereby either of the sections I!) or I2, is selectively movable relatively to, the other for adjusting the distance between the walls i6 andZG. Soas to be assured that the relative-movement of the sections Ill and I2 will bepurely rectilinear, a pair of pins, screws or rivets 26 is employed, there being one of said members ,26, on each side of the frame spaced relationship to, the corresponding thumb screw 24, and each of said-membersbeing receivedin one of the slots 22 and threaded into an opening provided thereforin one of the side walls 14. It is clear thatthe adlustability of the frame sectionsj El and i2 is for the purpose of accommodating feet ofvarious lengths, and it is also clear th l lithescrews ;2d may be tightened upon selecting;a prop er positioning of said sections-for holding the latter in place, the members 26 merely serving to prevent, pivotal movement of and between said sections during use of the device A support, generally indicated at 28, for the ball and toeportions 28b and 28t, respectively} of theiootto be exercised is formedby-a pair of spaced, parallel side walls 3i} integrally joined together at the lower end of each-thereof by means of a bottom wall 32, and this support-is carried between the two side walls l l of the. frame section ID; by means ofapair of thumb screws 34 located on opposite sides of saidsection and threadedly secured in said walls 14 and 30, there being provided, ifdesired, a washer36-between eachpair'of saidwalls. The length of the sup port -2j8 is equal approximately to the length .of the fore part of thefootwhich comprises the ball and toe portions 281) and 287i, and, in order to maximize the tiltability of-the front; end of;said support, ,the, connections; between said support and-the frame, section [0, whichare represented by the screws are located; at the rearend of said supportnear the top thereof. It is clear that, when the support 23 has been tilted into the desired position with respectto theframe section it, the screws 34 may be tightened to hold said support in saidposition. I a? ll i In order that the ball and toe portions 28b and '26t'of the foot may be held within, the support :281and tilted similarly thereas so as to exercise thejfoot and leg muscles, a strap or retainer 38 is employed, same being secured at opposite ends thereof to the walls 3ilof said support and being adjustable in length by means of a lace or fastener 4'0. The shape of the retainer 38lisflprefrably similar in curvature to that-of the so; that screws 48 located on opposite sides of said section and threadedly secured in said walls l8 and 44, there being provided, if desired, a washer 50 between each pair of said walls. The length of the support 42 is equal approximately to the length of the hind part of the foot which comprises the heel portion, and, in order to maximize the tiltability of the rear end of said support, the connections between said support and the frame section 12, which are represented by the screws 48, are located at the front end of said support near the top thereof. It is clear that, when the support 42 has been tilted into the desired position with respect to the frame section l2, the screws 48 may be tightened to hold said support in said position.

The bottom wall 46 of the support 42 has pivotally attached thereto, by means of rivets or pins 52, a pair of laterally spaced clamping members 54 which extend upwardly from said wall and cooperate with each other to surround the heel slightly below the ankle bone. For this purpose, the opposing surfaces of the members 54 are curved so as to fit comfortably the heel received thereby, and it will be noted that, if pressure is applied on the foot to move the heel against the rear ends of said members, the front ends of said members will be caused to move toward each other to grip the foot and hold it in place.

. Referring to Fig. 5, a patients foot is shown fixedin place within the exerciser with the ball portion 28b and toe portions 28t bent and held under self-inflicted strain by means of the strap 38 and the downwardly tilted condition of the support 28. The rear end of the exerciser is caused to rest upon a support 56 and to serve as the axis about which said exerciser is to be moved. Secured to the exerciser, such as at the points represented by the screws 24, are the ends of a cord or cable 58 by which said exerciser may be moved as above mentioned, whereby the foot itself will move about an axis represented by the ankle bone and while the strain on the ball and toeportions 28b and 2815 continues to be exerted. It isto be pointed out that the mere process of inserting. the ball and toe portions 28b and 28t in the support 28, tightly strapping said portions down and thereupon and then locking said support in a tilted position may give suflicient relief after a reasonable length of time, for, by doing this, the muscular structure of each of said por- On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 6, a roller 60 may be employed for strengthening the arch, said roller being shorter in length than the width of the exerciser so as to be able to engage said arch and support the foot and said exerciser well above the level of the support 56.

Although the invention has been described with some detail it is not intended that such description is to be definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting member, means carried by said member for receiving the toe and ball portions of a human foot and supporting said portions in a position whereat the muscular structure of the foot is under strain, means operable for moving said member and said first means substantially unltarily to exercise the foot, and a pair of clamping members pivotally carried by said supporting member and cooperable one with the other for gripping the heel portion of the foot.

2. In a device of the character described, an elongated supporting member, means carried by said member at one end thereof for receiving the toe and ball portions of a human foot and supporting said portions in a position whereat the muscular structure of the foot is under strain, means operable for moving said member and said first means substantially unitarily to exercise the foot, and a pair of clamping members pivotally carried by said supporting member at the opposite end thereof and cooperable one with the other for gripping the heel portion of the foot upon moving the foot toward said last mentioned end.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of elongated, spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members, a carrier structure for the ball and toe portions of a human foot arranged rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure and having means for securing said portions therewithin, and means connecting said second structure to at least one of said wall members in said spaced relation to said front end to provide for selective movement and positioning of one of said structures relatively to the other thereof about a transverse axis.

4. In'a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of elongated, spaced," interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members, a carrier structure for the ball and toe portions of a human foot arranged between said wall members rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure and having means for securing saidportions therewithin, and means connecting said second structure to at least one of said wall members in said spaced relation to said front end to provide for selective movement and positioning of one of said structures relatively to the other thereof about a transverse axis.

5; In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of elongated, spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members, a carrier structure for the ball and toe portions of a human foot arranged rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure and having means for securing said portions therewithin, and means connecting said second structure to at least one of said wall members in said spaced relation to said front end and about a transverse axis disposed directly above the ball-carrying portion of said second structure to provide for selective movement and positioning of one of said structures relatively to the other thereof about said axis.

6. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of elongated, spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members, a carrier structure for the ball and toe portions of a human foot arranged between said wall members rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure and having means for securing said portions therewithin, and means connecting said second structure to at least one of said wall members in said spaced relation to said front end and about a transverse axis disposed directly above the ball-carrying portion of said second structure to provide for selective movement and positioning of one of said structures relatively to the other thereof about said axis.

'7. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members of predetermined length, a channel-shaped structure having a length substantially less than that of said first structure and arranged rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of the latter for supporting the toe and ball portions of a human foot therewithin, means carried by said second structure and engageable with the portion of the foot directly above said toe and ball portions for securing the latter Within said second structure, and means connecting said second structure to said first structure in said spaced relation to said front end to provide for adjustable positioning of said structures relatively one to the other about a transverse axis.

8. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of spaced,

interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members of predetermined length, a channelshaped structure having a length substantially less than that of said first structure and arranged between said wall members rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure for supporting the toe and ball portions of a human foot therewithin, means carried by said second structure and engageable with the portion of the foot directly above said toe and ball portions for securing the latter within said second structure, and means connecting said second structure to said first structure in said spaced relation to said front end to provide for adjustable positioning of said structures relatively one to the other about a transverse axis.

9. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side wall members of predetermined length, a channel-shaped structure having a length substantial- 1y less than that of said first structure and arranged rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of the latter for supporting the toe and ball portions of a human foot therewithin, means carried by said second structure and engageable with the portion of the foot directly above said toe and ball portions for securing the latter within said second structure, and means connecting said second structure to said first structure in said spaced relation to said front end and about a transverse axis disposed directly above the ball-carrying portion of said second structure to provide for adjustable positioning of said structures relative one to the other about said axis.

10. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame structure having a pair of spaced, interconnected, substantially parallel side Wall members of predetermined length, a channel-shaped structure having a length substantially less than that of said first structure and arranged between said wall members rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the front end of said first structure for supporting the toe and ball portions of a human foot therewithin, means carried by said second structure and engageable with the portion of the foot directly above said toe and ball portions for securing the latter within said second structure, and means connecting said second structure to said first structure in said spaced relation to said front end and about a transverse axis disposed directly above the ballcarrying portion of said second structure to provide for adjustable positioning of said structures relatively one to the other about said axis.

GEORGE M. MILN E. 

